S.T. Almeria FD117 : The Bosun's Watch

S.T. Almeria FD117

Technical

Official Number: 148220
Gross Tonnage: 271
Completed:1918
Net Tonnage: 121
Length: 125.7 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by National S.B. Co Ltd, Goderich, Ontario
Built: Kingston Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Kingston, Ontario

History

1.1917: Ordered. 1918: Launched by Kingston Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Kingston, Ontario (Yd.No. – ) (Canadian “Castle” – “T.R.” class) for the The Admiralty (paid for and built under direction of RCN) as TR.19.
25.8.1918: Completed by Collingwood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Collingwood, Ontario (Yd. No.-) and commissioned in the Royal Canadian Navy.
7.1.1919: Paid off and laid up.
1921: Accepted offer of Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co Ltd, Inverness (Captain D. J. Munro) for reconditioning and lay-up prior to sale. Brought over at The Admiralty’s expense.
8.1926: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, manager).
16.9.1926: Registered at Fleetwood as ALMERIA (FD117).
1928: Sold to Red Funnel Fisheries Ltd, Sydney, NSW.
3.9.1928: Registered at Fleetwood as GOOLGWAI (FD117).
15.9.1928: Sailed Fleetwood for Sydney in company with DURRAWEEN (FD135).
12.1928: Arrived Sydney, NSW after 92 day passage, which included assisting DURRAWEEN stranded when calling at the Cocos Islands, Indian Ocean.
29.12.1928: Fleetwood registry closed.
12.1928: Registered at Sydney, NSW.
1933: Owners re-styled Red Funnel Trawlers Ltd, Sydney, NSW.
3.9.1939: Requisitioned for war service by Royal Australian Navy as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-20mm Oerlikon, 1-0.303 Vickers MG).
6.10.1939: Commissioned into RAN (P.No. FY.94).
1940: Based Sydney, NSW with M/S Group 50, working NSW coast and later (8.1944): Joined TU 70.5.2 Surveying Torres Strait.
29.10.1945: Paid off and laid up pending return to owners.
17.6.1947: Returned to owner.
18.5.1955: Sailed Sydney for the Far South Coast of New South Wales grounds (Sk. Mullarkey); eleven crew.
29.5.1955: Approaching Sydney in heavy seas with 400 boxes onboard ran into thick fog and stranded on rocks at Boora Point, 10 miles south of Sydney Head, NSW. 6.6.1955: Ship broke up and washed westward. Possibly some wreckage amongst rocks in position 33 °58.11S/15°28E. All crew rescued but ship’s dog drowned.